Abstract: AIM: To study the value of serum ferritin (SFe) on diagnosis and prognosis in rheumatic disease. METHODS: The clinical data of 156 cases rheumatic disease patients were collected from July 2008 to February 2009,and the same period 20 cases of healthy volunteers as normal control. The levels of serum ferritin(SFe) in disease groups and normal control group were compared.Statistical analysis was performed to correlate each clinical data with the levels of SFe and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (CCP-Ab), complement C₃ in disease groups. RESULTS: The average levels of SFe in adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) group and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)group were (1707±387),(299±228) ng/mL,respectively,which were higher than those in normal control group(143±100) ng/mL,n＝20,P＝0.000, P＝0.028. The average levels of systemic lupus erythmatosus (SLE) group (n=30) were (295±326) ng/mL,there was no difference between the SLE group and normal control group(P=0.050). When SLE patients were divided into two groups by SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) exceed(338±225) ng/mL, n=12 or less than 10 scores(158±123) ng/mL, n=18 then the average level of SFe of two groups were compared with each other, a statistical difference(t=2.534,P=0.042) was founded.The levels of SFe and CCP-Ab in RA group had significant correlation(r=0.531,P＝0.004), there was no significant correlation to other clinical index. CONCLUSION: The levels of SFe could be helpful for the diagnosis of AOSD, and may be the indicator of morbidity and activity in patients with AOSD and RA.When the activities of SLE is increased,the levels of SFe are significantly increased.

Key words: Serum ferritin, Dermatitis glandularis erythematosa, Rheumatoid arthritis